


August Mass Effect Prompts

by SerenityFalconNormandy



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Angara with the flu, Architects, F/M, Huerta Memorial, Kaidan's letter, Kepral's Syndrome, Post-Horizon (Mass Effect), Post-Mortem Surprise from Thane, Shepard doesn't want to choose, So she won't, voeld
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-11-05
Packaged: 2019-06-21 02:06:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15547224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerenityFalconNormandy/pseuds/SerenityFalconNormandy
Summary: That's right, I'm taking a foray into my ME canon!Featuring:Jehanne Shepard, Sole Survivor space-born Nemesis who falls in love with Kaidan Alenko and Thane Krios.Maria Ryder, biotic Pathfinding nerd girl and Liam Kosta, who jump-jets his way into her heart.





	1. In a Nova's Glow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Kiss me
> 
> Jehanne Shepard visits Thane Krios at Huerta Memorial in between missions.

Somehow, no matter what planet you were on or which species ran them, all hospitals smelled the same. Bleach, other disinfectants, the sweet-and-sour scent of medi-gel, and the reek of sickness that managed to power its way through all the attempts to cover it up. The difference this time was that there were far more people than Huerta had beds. Her gut twisted. Would Thane end up sleeping on the floor while Kepral’s slowly took him away from her?

 

Jehanne Shepard closed her eyes, taking a steadying breath before entering the doors. Chaos reigned inside, doctors and anyone with medical training rushing to and fro to assist the wounded soldiers and refugees that had escaped the first waves of Reaper attacks. Her omni-tool chimed with an update on Kaidan. She would have to visit him as well. _Talk about awkward._

 

Visiting the current boyfriend while the ex-boyfriend was only a few hundred yards away was definitely not on Jehanne’s list of ‘Things to do Before Galactic Destruction’. The thing was, she loved Thane, she could put that word to the emotion now, but she still loved Kaidan, too. Her regular life could never be nice and simple, why should her love life be any different? She let out a grumpy mutter as she entered the elevator to the upper floors of Huerta, her tool broadcasting her Spectre authorization so she didn’t have to futz with clearances or any other annoyances.

 

Fingers danced over her tool, turning on her music so she didn’t have to listen to the elevator’s broadcasts or the awful music that interspersed them. Random shuffle pulled up one of the bands from the 20th that Kaidan had gotten her hooked on, Linkin Park.

 

_Take me down to the river bend_

_Take me down to the fighting end_

_Wash the poison from off my skin_

_Show me how to be whole again_

 

Mouthing along to the lyrics, she wondered how everyone could have figured out FTL travel and quantum entanglement, but not how to make the elevators go faster. The doors finally snapped open, and Jehanne stepped out into the ward. Like a magnet, Thane’s combat meditations, what she considered the drell version of tai-chi, drew her gaze. A flick, and the music ended.

 

_Wash the sorrow from off my skin_

_And show me how to be whole again_

 

He turned as Jehanne drew close, deep liquid eyes lighting up as they took her in. “Siha. I heard Earth was under attack. I didn’t know you’d made it out.”

 

Jehanne swallowed. It wasn’t quite the greeting she had hoped for. There was decidedly less sweeping and kissing. Maybe the time she’d spent under house arrest had cooled his feelings for her. After all, she hadn’t received any messages from him. “Thane. It’s been too long. I was beginning to think I’d never see you again.”

 

He leaned into her, stepping into range for their biotic fields to touch. Their hands hovered close to each other, biotic fields tingling in a dance few beings would ever get to experience. Thane closed his nictitating membranes then his eyelids in the long, slow blink she knew meant he was savoring the unique form of contact, and gathering his thoughts. “I sent a few messages while you were incarcerated, but I suspect they never got past the guards. What are you doing here?”

 

“Visiting a … friend… Kaidan. He got hurt protecting me.” Dammit, she wasn’t going to be forced into choosing between them, no way. She loved them both, but Jehanne knew she had to wait and see how they would react to that.

 

Thane stepped back, and the tingling faded from their biotic fields. “The human biotic in intensive care.” He paused to cough. “I saw the marks of an implant.”

 

“Yeah.” The cough didn’t sound bad, but the cybernetics in her ears picked up a burr that hadn’t been there on the SR-2.

 

“We have spoken.” _Ohgodwhy_. “He was holding out hope a woman would visit him… Is there something I should know about you two?”

 

“We were together for awhile before the first Normandy was destroyed.”

 

“And grew apart, I gather.” _More like I got blown out into space and died, but you could say that, I guess._ She shrugged. Thane was silent, considering her. He reached for her, linking their hands, tangling fingers together. “Your enemies may try to finish him off here. I will look out for him.”

 

Some of the tension drained from Jehanne’s shoulders, and she smiled at him. “I appreciate it, Thane.”

 

“I am nearing the end of my life. It is a good time to be generous.” She drew in a sharp breath, wanting to object, and tears sprang to her eyes. The gentle touch of his forehead to hers stopped her. “I have only a few loves left, and you are my last. Let me do what I can for you.”

 

 _Kiss me._ Jehanne felt the lump in her throat, and rather than trying to choke out the words, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his. The pleasant warm-numb feeling of the venom on his scales flooded her mouth. She didn’t know what she’d done to deserve such understanding from Thane. Like hell was she going to let him go without a fight, and without him knowing just how much she loved him.

 

“Well… I see you want to make up for lost time.” It was a pleasant buzz against her lips, and the venom flooding her system gave it a sibilant reverb. When Thane pulled back, the lights were ringed with small haloes as the hallucinogenic components kicked in, and his movements left little after-image trails. She refocused on him as he cupped her cheek. “I should warn you that you may not want your final memories of me to be in this hospital. Kepral’s Syndrome is… not kind.”

 

“I’ve got a few free moments,. Do you want to spend a little time together?” She flashed him the keypass for Anderson’s- her-apartment. They could make some memories outside of the hospital.

 

“I would like that.” They looked out of the window at the curve of the Citadel, the ward arms extending so far they faded in the distance. “You should understand that my cardiovascular system is not what it wa-- Mmm.”

 

Jehanne interrupted him with another kiss. She didn’t _care._ If all they could do was lie next to each other and hold each other, she’d take it. He swept her midnight black bob away from her face, smooth palms warm against her neck and the back of her head. This time, she was the one to pull away, breathing across his lips, “You were saying something?”

 

“I’ve missed you, Shepard.”

 

A half-sobbing laugh escaped her as she burrowed into his chest, Thane’s arms coming around her in a hug she hadn’t known she needed. There would be time to worry about Kaidan later. Thane needed her now.

 


	2. Love Stinks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “What happened back there?”
> 
> Jehanne Shepard, and what happened after Horizon.

“Joker-- send the shuttle to pick us up. I’ve had enough of this colony.”  

 

“Aye-aye, Commander.”

 

Jehanne felt her jaw clenching, and worked to relax it. Garrus put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Mordin stood off to the side, fingers twitching over his omni-tool as he muttered to himself about adjustments to the seeker swarm countermeasure. 

 

“Give him time, Shepard. It has to be a shock, seeing you again.”  

 

“I know. I  _ know  _ logically but- fuck.” Jehanne turned to Garrus as the shuttle burned through the Horizon atmosphere. “You and Tali accepted that I am who I am with no questions. Why?”

 

He spread his arms, the turian version of a shrug. “Tali has scanners in her suit, and I can smell things humans can’t. Cloning would leave an off-scent, and you smell like I remember you.”

 

Letting out a small snort, Jehanne asked, “You saying I stink, Garrus?”

 

“What? No! I-”

 

“Relax, I’m picking on you. It’s a ‘defense mechanism’.” She air-quoted the last part. The shuttle landed, and they filed on. Jehanne plopped down and did her best not to rip off her visor, then tossed it to the side before she cradled her head in her hands. 

 

Tears wouldn’t do any good, but damned if she didn’t want to cry. It felt like a few weeks since she’d last seen Kaidan, sent him to the escape pods to save him. For him, it was two years. She had to remember that. Hell, if she spent two years thinking he was dead, and then he just happened to show up after tons of rumors and shit, with Cerberus in tow no less, she’d probably freak out on him, too. 

 

She could still smell the disgusting rotting plant reek of the Thorian creepers they had found in the Cerberus facilities. Jehanne pinched her lips together and took a deep breath through her nose to keep herself from gagging. 

 

His reaction was logical, but damn if it wasn’t a punch in the gut.

 

The shuttle thunked down in the Normandy docking bay, and before the door even fully opened, she could hear the clipped clicking of Miranda’s heels on the deck. Jehanne mentally groaned to herself. She didn’t want to get into it with Miss Cerberus 2185 at all, but especially not before a hot shower and a meal. 

 

“What happened back there? Shepard?” Miranda fell into step at her right shoulder. Jehanne could feel the other woman’s biotics sparking against her own. Her omni-tool pinged with three new messages from The Illusive Man. Even Timmy wasn’t letting her take a break, dammit.

 

“You didn’t have me wire-tapped to hell and back, Lawson? I’m shocked. You actually let your pet project go unsupervised for-” She flicked up her wrist and looked at her omni-tool’s chrono, “A whole hour and a half. Thanks for that.”

 

“Don’t get smart with me, Shepard.”

 

“Me? Smart? Nah. I’m just calling it like I see it. Seems to me Timmy didn’t let you in on the fact that Kaidan and I have more of a history than was made public, or did he just not tell you that he was stationed on Horizon?”

 

Miranda’s lips turned down in a disapproving moue. “I can see I’m not going to get any useful information about the mission from you right now. You are dismissed.”

 

“ _ Sir, yes sir. _ ” Jehanne snapped off the most sarcastic-looking salute she’d ever managed. 

 

“You sure antagonizing Cheerleader is a good idea, Shep?” The concern in Joker’s voice was telling. They were on a Cerberus ship, surrounded by Cerberus tech and crew. Pissing off her Cerberus babysitter probably wasn’t the smartest idea. 

 

“Probably not, Joker. Then again, plenty of people question my methods, what’s one more?”

 

“Where to next, Commander?”

 

Jehanne opened the dossiers Tim had sent her. Tali’s name jumped out immediately, and after skimming the message attached, forwarded it to Joker. “Looks like Haestrom so we can get Tali on-board.”

 

“Awesome, I’ve missed her, and I wasn’t around for Freedom’s Progress.”

 

“Hop to, Joker.”

 

“Aye-aye, Commander.”

 

She stripped down as quickly as possible, putting her armor and weapons aside to be cleaned later. Her body glove was plenty modest for the elevator ride to her quarters. “EDI, please make sure I make it to my quarters in one trip, and then I don’t want to be disturbed until we’re an hour out from Haestrom.”

 

“Understood. Logging you out, Shepard.”

 

The quiet gurgle of the fishtank was soothing, and the tank lights were enough illumination that Jehanne didn’t bother with turning the lights on. Stripping down, showering, and cramming down a ration bar while slipping on a tank and athletic shorts didn’t take that long, and left her with far too much time to think. 

 

Flopping down on the bed, she threw an arm over her eyes so she didn’t have to see the stars through the skylight. Cerberus apparently didn’t appreciate that someone who’d died from being spaced might have an issue with that. She was just so exhausted.

 

The ping of her omni-tool going off jolted Jehanne awake. How long had she been laying there? When had she fallen asleep? “EDI, how long was I asleep?”

 

“You’ve been asleep for six standard hours, Shepard. We’re still fourteen out from Haestrom.”

 

“Lawson climbing the walls yet?”

 

“She has been… insistent on speaking to you, but I have adhered to your wishes.”

 

“Thanks EDI. Keep to the plan.”

 

“Understood. Logging you out.”

 

Sliding around until she was in a mostly-upright position, Jehanne checked the message. Her stomach twisted when she saw Kaidan’s name, and the title ‘About Horizon’. Ever the glutton for punishment, she opened it. He’d used speech-to-text, and sounded like he’d had half a bar’s worth of whiskey before sending the letter.

 

_ Shepard, _

 

_ I'm sorry for what I said back on Horizon. I spent two years pulling myself back together after you went down with the Normandy. It took me a long time to get over my guilt for surviving and move on. I'd finally let my friends talk me into going out for drinks with a doctor on the Citadel. Nothing serious, but trying to let myself have a life again, you know? _

 

_ Then I saw you, and everything pulled hard to port. You were standing in front of me, but you were with Cerberus. I guess I really don't know who either of us is anymore. Do you even remember that night before Ilos? That night meant everything to me... maybe it meant as much to you. But a lot has changed in the last two years and I can't just put that aside. _

 

_ But please be careful. I've watched too many people close to me die -- on Eden Prime, on Virmire, on Horizon, on the Normandy. I couldn't bear it if I lost you again. If you're still the woman I remember I know you'll find a way to stop these Collector attacks. But Cerberus is too dangerous to be trusted. Watch yourself. _

 

_ When things settle down a little... maybe... I don't know. Just take care. _

 

_ \--Kaidan _

 

It wasn’t a ringing endorsement, per se, but it left her feeling better. There might be some light at the end of the tunnel for the two of them. If he found someone in the meantime… had a few more dates with that doctor… she’d be happy for him. Kaidan deserved happiness. It would just suck major ass for her. 

 

What else was new?


	3. Beyond the Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “I won’t lose you too.”
> 
> Kolyat surprises Jehanne with a few things from Thane.

“Commander Shepard.” Kolyat Krios gestured for Jehanne to take a seat at the table across from him. He slid a cup to her that could be either coffee or hot chocolate. 

 

She lifted up the cup and inhaled the steam. Coffee, with just the right amount of cream and sugar. Thane must have told him how she liked it before--before. “Kolyat, please, call me Jehanne.”

 

“Jehanne.” The young drell rolled the syllables across his tongue, getting a feel for the foreign name. “Before my father died, I know you were asked to sign quite a few forms, did you read all of them?”

 

“Can’t say I did,” Jehanne swallowed the lump in her throat, as well as an over-large mouthful of hot coffee. She drew in a shaky breath and let it out in a long stream to keep in the tears that still snuck up on her sometimes.

 

“Oh.” Kolyat blinked, first nictitating membranes then eyelids. “I see.”

 

They sat in silence for a moment. “Was there something important in there? Something Thane needed me to see?”

 

“You could say that. I was surprised you hadn’t brought it up at all, but now I understand.” Kolyat pulled out an old-fashioned manila envelope. “My father asked for paper copies to be made for you.”

 

Jehanne opened the envelope and pulled out the official-looking papers inside. She gasped mid-sip and started coughing out coffee as the words scrolled across the top page registered. She barely managed to choke out, “Marriage certificate?”

 

Kolyat nodded. “One of the forms you signed was a marriage license, it seems. My father left me some letters. He made many investments, had more credits stashed away than I could spend. The letters, they say that he wished for me to have someone to look up to, and that he wanted to make sure you were never in need financially. There was something I didn't quite understand, though, a message for you. Father wanted me to tell you that ‘just in case things did not work out, you will not be alone, and you will have family’. Do you know what he’s referring to?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

The one word was all Jehanne could manage. How did one cope with the knowledge after the fact that they’d gone from bride, to newlywed, to widow in the span of less than half an hour? Jehanne didn’t deal with emotions well on good days, let alone while grieving. Setting the certificate aside with care, she looked through the other paperwork. She had become Kolyat’s emergency contact on C-Sec’s records, with a note of condolence from Bailey written on the corner of the confirmation print-out. Bailey made her think of the attempted Cerberus coup, and Kaidan. Setting the rest aside, Jehanne tucked a lock of thick black hair behind her ear.

 

“I know what Thane was talking about. There’s a man, Kaidan. He and I were… involved… on the Normandy SR-1. It was… I don’t even know what our status was when I met your father, other than we weren’t together. Kaidan got hurt protecting me on Mars, and your father watched over him while he was recovering in Huerta. I think… I think that the message is his way of encouraging me to give Kaidan and I another chance.”

 

Kolyat hummed as he thought, something he’d inherited from Thane. “It seems so. And he hoped for us to be family and look out for one another, whether you and he work out or not.”

 

He snapped up straight, head going back and eyes widening. An attack of drell solipsism was eerie to witness for those who never experienced them personally.  _ “Father sits at the table, hands clasped around his tea. The attacks are more frequent. His nightly visits grow shorter. Calm in his eyes, his voice. Acceptance in every action. The end will be soon. ‘Kolyat’ he says, ‘I do not know when Siha will be back on the Citadel. When I am gone, let her wisdom guide you. I have failed many times as a father, but in this I am certain I am setting you on the right path. She will do well as your friend, as family if you let her.” _

 

Jehanne waited for Kolyat to blink himself back to the present. A little dazed, he gripped his mug of tea like it was the only thing anchoring him in the moment. After a few shaky sips, she drifted her hand above one of his. “May I?”

 

Kolyat took her hand gently. “You are my step-mother, I believe you call it?”

 

“Heh, yeah. You don’t have to call me ‘Mom’ or anything, just Jehanne works.”

 

“Hmm.” He smiled, a bit of Thane shining through, “May I call you  _ Siha _ like Father did?”

 

“If you want to.” Jehanne took a sip of coffee. 

 

After a sip of his tea, Kolyat asked, “Are you intending to speak to this Kaidan?”

 

“Yeah… I’m surprised you haven’t heard of him. He’s the other human Spectre.”

 

Another surprised blink. Jehanne wondered if that was a habit he’d picked up from Irikah, or if it was one all his own. “That Kaidan?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Yeah.” 

 

“Do I need to call him Dad?”

 

Jehanne snorted into her cup, laughter bubbling out. “I think he’d have a heart attack if you did. Add to the gray hair, at least.”

 

_ Not that it looks bad on him. Woof. _

 

“I’m gonna have a hell of a fun time explaining this to him.”

 

Kolyat sat back in his chair, a meditative hum coming out as he contemplated his tea. “If he doesn’t understand what you had with Father, he does not understand you. If he doesn’t understand you, he is not worthy of your time or affection.”

 

Jehanne gave Kolyat a weak smile. “You may be right about that, kid. Just, be careful while I’m swanning around the galaxy putting out Reaper-sized fires, alright? I lost your father, I won’t lose you too.”

  
  



	4. Girl Like You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “You make every day worth living.”
> 
> Ryder, Liam, and Jaal are on Voeld going after the Architect. 
> 
> What's a girl to do with an Angara with the flu, and a flirt she's flirting back with?

Voeld was… Voeld. A frozen deathtrap if ever there was one. Maria cursed to herself as the Nomad skidded across another patch of ice. Liam and Jaal both yelped behind her as the skid turned the vehicle and made it bump over patches of frozen snow and scree. “Not a word from either of you or so help me, I will turn this car around!”

 

“Okay, Mum,” Liam shot back from where he had braced himself. 

 

Jaal made a noise that was pretty much the same for every species, and as the Nomad bumped down a ridge, Maria dug around blindly until she found the pack of motion-sickness bags. Tossing it over her shoulder, she yelled, “Give these to Jaal before I have to explain the need for vomit clean-up to Gil.”

 

Jaal groaned, “Can someone else pilot this thing on the way back?”

 

_ “I could pilot it remotely on the way back, Pathfinder.” _

 

“My driving isn't  _ that  _ bad, and it’s not my fault everything here is an ice patch!” 

 

The Angaran just gagged again. Maria frowned to herself and bit her lip. Jaal had to be hiding that he was sick, stubborn man. He hadn’t reacted to her driving like this before. She was going to herd him to Lexi when they were back on the Tempest whether he liked it or not.  _ “I will send Doctor T’Parro a message to prepare the medbay in anticipation of our return, Maria.” _

 

The great thing about having SAM in her head was she didn’t have to say some things out loud and risk a mini krogan or Angaran rebellion.

 

“So why are we going out to the arse-end of Voeld again?” Liam spoke loudly to try and cover the sound of retching Angaran. 

 

“Remember when we were out here tagging and bagging the ancient eirochs?”

 

“Vaguely. This iceball has been a blur of avoiding kett and frostbite, not necessarily in that order.”

 

“Well-” Maria stopped to concentrate on keeping the Nomad from rolling as they skidded again, “I saw an Architect.”

 

All three of them yelled in surprise as said Architect flew over them, the roar it let out rocking the Nomad and sending it spinning across the snow and ice. 

 

“Architect!”

 

“No shite, Sherlock!”

 

“Jaal, I hope your stomach’s settled, because we’ve got an angry Architect to take down!”

 

He responded with a hurking noise, and clumsily pulled his rifle across his lap. His cheeks were about the same color as his  _ rofjinn _ , probably the Angaran equivalent of being flushed with fever. All three of them pulled on their protective helmets and activated the life support function. Voeld was no place to go without.

 

Even still, when the Nomad’s side door opened, a trio of gasps at the biting cold echoed in the comm. 

 

“Bloody hell.” Liam’s teeth chattered loud enough to be heard through their comm channel.

 

“Let’s get this done and over with. Ryder Popsicle is not in the plans.”

 

“Kosta Pops has a ring to it, but I’d like to keep those off the market for as long as possible.”

 

Maria snorted and dashed towards the closest heating tower, knowing her suit’s life support would need the backup. Her teeth chattered as she called through the comm, “Jaal, stay back and take your shots as they come. Stay as close to a heating tower as you can while still staying in range. Kosta, with me.”

 

Jaal jogged to the heating towers and set up, making a honking, sniffling noise when he thought the comms weren’t active. Definitely sick, then. The screeching of the Architect vibrated the ground and the air. Crackling red energy filled the air, and Maria dodged behind cover, screaming through the comm for Liam to get down. 

 

The rest of it was a blur. Cora had almost died fighting the first Architect on Eos with Maria and Liam. Re-running the video from their collective HUDs had shown them where the weaknesses were, and how to exploit them without risking death. The dodging, rolling, flinging biotics, and listening to both Liam and Jaal’s breathing in her comm became her sole focus. Even when the gigantic machine was crashing to the ice, the adrenaline sang through her and she whipped her rifle around, almost expecting that kett or Roekaar would jump them.

 

“Can we get back to the ship now?” Jaal wheezed. It was followed by a loud, honking sneeze. 

 

“I’m calling Kallo now, Jaal. Lexi will be waiting for you.”

 

There was a long, telling pause. “I do not need a doctor.”

 

Maria sighed. “Look, I know it’s a really private thing for Angara, but we can’t risk it making a jump to the other members of the crew, all right?”

 

The noise he made was an impressive mix of disgust and mucus.

 

_ “Dr. T’Parro has been notified and is awaiting our arrival.” _

 

Jaal muttered under his breath about nosy, interfering AIs, then let out another explosive sneeze and a groan. 

 

As the Tempest hovered over them, Liam switched to their private comm channel. “So, Architects, frostbite, Angara with the flu, you make every day worth living, Pathfinder.”

 

Maria snorted. “You’d get bored without something to focus on, Kosta.”

 

“Something besides your bum in that armor, right?”

 

“I know you can’t see it, but I’m rolling my eyes at you so hard right now. Wait until I can feel my toes again to start flirting, dude.”


End file.
